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For the Quarter 2 Benchmark I had to search the three branches of the government, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. For each branch I had to find two positive and two negative examples of the branch's power, and write paragraphs of what they are and how they affect me. I had some serious difficulty with this benchmark. Which is evident from how late I am handing this in. Connecting the laws and court cases and such to myself wasn't that difficult, but finding the examples themselves proved to be difficult and tedious to me. I feel that even though I am late handing this in the quality is well enough to make it worth handing in. I am proud of my work, and proud of myself for getting past my difficulties with the project. 

Here is my lobbying assignment. For the final lobbying assignment,I decided to transfer all my information into a newspaper article. 
I thought this would be a better way to explain my topic and my point of view etc.

For my 2nd quarter project I wanted to show the contrast between color and black and white. At first I wasn't sure how I would show this, but one day when I was really angry I made a splatter painting. I painted the page black and then threw colors onto it. The result was this:



Next I got a white sheet of paper and splattered just black paint on it. The comparison of the two is this:







From here I wanted to draw actual shapes and things so I started a colorful drawing with flowers and got this:



Instead of finishing my colorful project I moved onto a black and white Mandala drawing on the opposite side of the paper. This took ridiculously long to make, but the result was this:



This was my favorite thing to make, even though it was epically difficult. The comparison between my two final drawings is this:



I had a lot of fun doing every aspect of this project. I just wish I would have done this blog post on time :(

I did a terrible job with these. To me my hands look like clay-mation on paper. So i tried doing them in different ways. Didn't work to my expectations. But draewing me kind of did. So i don't quite get what made my face easier to draw.

My Benchmark Ant Byrd

 I've been working solo this project and trying to get in touch with Anthony Hardy Williams 8th District Representative,  and trying to get people aware of the situation.
 As you should know by now I want to get a group together to influence neighborhood cleanups, specifically urban neighborhoods.  I wanted to start a group within SLA that expanded to a much larger crown with the help of the senator, It was to be something bigger than your average optional Saturday block sweep. My main concern has been to have our urban streets clean like we have them clean in Downtown Philadelphia and Independence Hall. I haven't heard anything back from the senator but I also know these things take time and he is a very busy person.

For this blog post it is really just an update on the current status of things. Basically I am just waiting on a go from the Senator or at least some support on his part. It wouldn't be a problem to start straight out of school, i just want the support of the senator.

When thinking about the water issues you need to conceder four main things:

Water scarcity: I some parts of the world the hot climates are drying up water resources leaving 1.1 billion people without access to safe water. This leads to death and illness from drunken unsafe water, affects ford production, leads to hunger and increased global food prices. 

Water sanitation: Throughout poor countries access to clean water and basic sanitation is a major problem. 2.6 billion people are lacking adequate sanitation leading to 5 million deaths per day. 

Water access:Many people have to travel long distances to get the water they need because the other ways of getting water such as through ground water, a spring, or a river. 

Resource management: This is often a political issue, usually there are many groups trying to use the same water source and without political intervention these fights for water can become nasty

This is a link to "World Toilet Day 2009" 

http://waterwars.pulitzergateway.org/?p=7060

Nearly 2.6 million people world wide, 40% of the worlds population, lack access to basic sanitation. 

1.1 billion do not have access to clean water. 

1.8 million people mostly young children die each year form water relatable diseases. 

In sub-saharan Africa the lack of sanitary water is holding back economic growth.

On this site are some videos from the Representatives from Water for People, Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Strategic and International Studies and Water Advocates. These people went to these places and saw first hand the depth of the crisis and came p with possible solutions. The above link will take you to their videos.

http://waterwars.pulitzergateway.org/

This is a good website to go and check out the Water Wars. On it you can take a test to see how many gallons of water you use and give your opinions and you can also see whats going on with the rest of the worlds water struggles and you can see what many people are doing to help the problem, you can also share your ideas on helping the water problem. 

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​In my previous blog posts, I presented a plan for how I was going to attempt to save the Divine Lorraine and this is my last update. Since I last wrote, I got into contact with several organizations, half of whom had an interest in the salvation and restoration of the Divine Lorraine. However, they have found that the "private property" aspect has proven troublesome in terms of seeing substantial changes, for if the owners do not care not much can be done. Even so they recommended I continue my quest and try sending a letter to said owners in the hopes of convincing them to do something with the glorious structure. A recommendation I think has some merit.

In terms of a next step I believe the letter mentioned above ought to be written and a few more as well. If I am able to get in contact with the legislators discussed in previous posts and discuss viable options for the building's future. I know this was an idea posited in the past but I now know what needs to be discussed in these letters to legislators. I can ask specific questions and gain a better understanding of more Lorraine-relevant information. In terms of the letter to the owners, I may be able to propose a few new ideas with information gathered from the legislators. Surely if they knew of the benefit this building might bring to the community, the illustrious history of this glorious piece of architecture, and the tax breaks that might be given, they would be all the more willing to invest in the  Divine Lorraine. However, this is all conjecture. I do not know of the owner's awareness of the existing possibilities for the building but I shall write them a letter nonetheless.